Documentary: "Requiem for a Running Back" (CTE)

[Ronfitch]

Theatrical release this weekend in New York and Chicago.

A documentary by Rebecca Carpenter, daughter of former NFL running back Lew Carpenter (Lions, Browns, Packers).

Trailer:
https://www.requiemforarunningback.com/trailer/

Documentary site:
https://www.requiemforarunningback.com/

[L.C. Greenwood]

It's a sad situation, but anyone who played pro football so long before we knew anything at all about long-term head trauma, is more likely to suffer the effects. A perfect analogy to this situation would be anyone would voluntarily entered the construction industry. Decades ago, the protective gear was either poor or nonexistent compared to today. In fact, workers once had no protection for the ears. Today,
long term construction workers are still more likely to have issues with their hands and back when compared with someone who worked in a more sedentary occupation, but that number is under control.

I have no doubt technology will be one of the factors helping to reduce CTE in the future, but inevitably, the risk will always exist with the speed and power of the athletes involved. Modern players have a huge role to play in their own health. When a Russell Wilson doesn't take the time to be tested for a possible concussion, that's on him.

[Ronfitch]

Bennet Omalu - the forensic pathologist who first identified CTE - believes that that the focus on CTE is actually missing the larger picture.

From August of this year:

"'There has been so much fascination with CTE that we are going the wrong way,' Dr. Bennet Omalu said. 'CTE is just one disease in a spectrum of many diseases caused by brain trauma. If he doesn't have CTE, that doesn't mean he doesn't have brain damage. ... I've always said that every child who plays football has a 100 percent risk of exposure to brain damage. And I've always said that at a professional level, 100 percent would have brain damage of some kind to some degree. That's whether or not their brains are found to have CTE.'"

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2024 ... ll-players

[rhickok1109]

It's a sad situation, but anyone who played pro football so long before we knew anything at all about long-term head trauma, is more likely to suffer the effects. A perfect analogy to this situation would be anyone would voluntarily entered the construction industry. Decades ago, the protective gear was either poor or nonexistent compared to today. In fact, workers once had no protection for the ears. Today,
long term construction workers are still more likely to have issues with their hands and back when compared with someone who worked in a more sedentary occupation, but that number is under control.

I have no doubt technology will be one of the factors helping to reduce CTE in the future, but inevitably, the risk will always exist with the speed and power of the athletes involved. Modern players have a huge role to play in their own health. When a Russell Wilson doesn't take the time to be tested for a possible concussion, that's on him.

Well...not entirely. The onus is on the team, not the individual, to make sure the testing is performed. That's why the team, not the player, is subject to a fine when the protocol isn't followed.

[sheajets]

It's not going to solve anything but I think what would help a but is to weight these players down a bit. Look at these guys running around in such small pads and hideous tank top jerseys. Bring back looser jerseys with sleeves, heaving shoulder pads, and allow guys to hold a bit more in the secondary. You have guys running out there like torpedoes, nothing to grab on to. Of course they will be launching themselves at each other.

It will never happen but if you want less violent, catastrophic collisions then slow these guys down a bit and continue to call the helmet to helmet stuff. It wont fix everything but it will help.

If I was a defensive player now, how do I stop Larry Fitzgerald. Well he basically wears a spandex bodysuit over tiny Hutch pads. I'm not allowed to cover him as the rules are tilted to encourage high scoring. My only option is to just attempt to deliver knockout blows and just hope nothing ends up helmet to helmet.